Criminal Defense Investigation

October 10, 2017Shawn Merzlak

One of the most often overlooked aspects of criminal defense is certainly the value that comes with having a complete criminal defense investigation conducted on your own behalf. In fact, I know some lawyers who just thoroughly read the government’s investigative file and then speak with their client about the case and think such activities constitute investigation. This type of preparation simply is not enough if you want to get the best possible outcome for your case.

While some cases require very little investigation and some cases require extensive investigation, almost all cases require some type of investigation. Investigation is the process of discovering ways to tell your client’s story more effectively. Whether it be a client’s story of innocence for use at trial or a client’s unique life story to use as mitigation in order to minimize the possible harsh sentence one could receive, the criminal defense attorney has to conduct an investigation on their client’s behalf.

The truth of the matter is that most investigations can be accomplished by simply talking directly to all of the parties involved in a case. On more than one occasion, I have gleaned crucial information from just having a conversation with someone involved in the case…information I would have never known by simply reading the case file provided by the government.

If you have been charged or arrested, you need to hire an experienced trial lawyer who will do the investigation required to get the best possible outcome for your situation. Don’t Settle for someone who is simply going to take the government’s side as the only side when explaining to you what your options are. Find an experienced criminal lawyer who is going to investigate and fight for your innocence.